Automatic sewer-flusher.



AUTOMATIC SEWER FLUSHER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-10,1917- Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET INVENT'OR G. H. BURNS.

AUTOMATIC SEWER FLUSHER. APPLICATION-FILED SEPT. 10, my.

1,256,656. Patented Feb.19,1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- INVE/V QI? 'ENT @FFIQE.

GARZRIE H. BURNS, 0]? LOS .AIN'C-iELIElS,v CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC SEWER-FLUSHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19 1918.

Application filed" September 10, 1917. Serial No; 190,651.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GrAnnIn H. BURNS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Sewer-Flashers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a sewer flushing device.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an automatically operating mechanism for flushing the Wells in sewerage systems, the interval of operation being determined by' the volume of liquid within the well.

Another obj eot of this invention is to provide a flushing mechanism which will operate positively and will insure that the outlet valve is held in its open position until the well has beenv completely emptied.

Another object of this invention is to provide simple adjustable means-for determining the level to which the well is filled when the flushing operation takes place.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for adjusting the valve member upon its seat and the operating mechanism therewith. It is a further object of this invention to provide rigid connections between the operating bucket and the valve member thereby insuring that these two elements of the device will move in unison at all times.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in wh ch:

Figure 1 is a view in section and elevation disclosing the flushing apparatus as mounted for operation within the well of a sewerage system.

Fig. 2 is a view in plan as seenon the line '2-2 of Fig. 1 and particularly discloses the sectional formation of the well. the valve member and its supporting pedestal.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in perspective illustrating'the actuating bucket by means of which the valve is raised.

Referring more particularly to the drawings. 10 indicates a well of any particular design, having an enlarged opening 11 through itsv bottonr. This opening is in commi-inicatione with a: sewer conduit 12'.

The upper end of the well is covered by an inner man-hole cover 13, a man-hole ring 14, and an outer man-hole cover 15.

Mounted within the well and over the opening 11 in the bottom thereof is a cast base plate 16. This plate is securely anchored within the masonry of the well and serves as a rigid support for a vertical standard 17. This standard has a flange 18 by which it is bolted to the upper face of the base member and secures it over an overflow opening'lE) in the base plate. It is to be understood that the standard is tubular throughout its length and that its upper end is open so that the liquid within the well may pass downwardly through the standard and the opening 19 when it has reached the level of the upper opened end of the standard. In order that this action may be varied so that various maximum levels may be establ shed by the liquid within the well, an over-flow pipe 20 is secured to the standard at a point mid-way its height and extends upwardly so that its upper open end will establish the level within the well. This pipe is threaded into the standard and may thus be swung radially in relation to its mounting to raise and lower its outer end as desired.

Downwardlv extending brackets 21 are secured beneath the base plate near the end adjacent the drain opening 19. A hinge rod 22 extends through said brackets and engages hinge lugs 23 secured at one end of an actuating bucket 24. This bucket ispart cularly shown in Fig. 3 where the essential features of its construction are clearly set forth. The lugs are suitably fastened to the end 25 of the bucket and adiacent the flat port on 26 of its floor. This portion extends substantiallv half the length of the bucket, after which it connects with an inclined portion 27 which is carried upwardly to the end and top of side walls 28 and 29. These walls converge slightly in relation to each other from the end 25 of the bucket. A drain port 30 is formed through the end of the tapered floor 27 of the bucket and transversely thereof. In order to retain the liquid in the bucket a suflicient length of timeit is compelled to drain through this port and is prevented from flowing out the end of the bucket by means of aco-ver plate 31. which .iszs'ecurecl, to the; sides ofthe,

bucket and thereacross and substantially corresponds in length to the length of the tapered floor 27 of the bucket.

The bucket is directly'connectcd with a walking beam 32 by means of a bucket rod 33. This rod is pivotally secured by a pin 34 between lugs 35 fixed in the bottom ,of the bucket and to the floor portion 26. This rod extends upwardly through the tubular center of the sttndard 17 and is provided with a connecting pin 36 which fits within open-ended slots 87 formed upon one end of the walking beam. The beam is mounted upon an adjustable supporting arm 38 by a pin 39. The supporting arm 88 is formed with a collar 4-0 which encircles the standard 17 and is clamped thereto by a set-screw 41, thus providing the arm with vertical adjustment.

The outer end of the walking beam is connected with a valve plunger rod 42 by means of a rod pin 43. This rod hangs downwardly from the beam and through an opening 44: in a guide arm 45. The opening in this arm is considerably larger in diameter than that of the rod and permits the rod to hang vertically at all times during the swinging movement of the walking beam. A knuckle joint 46 connects the lower end of the valve rod with a hollow valve member 4-7. This valve member is provided with an annular packing ring 48 which may be brought to seat upon the ta pered face of a valve opening 50 formed through the. base plate 16. The valve member 47 is of cast metal and is so designed that the combined weights of the valve member, the valve rod, and the walking beam arm to which they are connected, will overbalance the combined weights of the opposite walking beam arm, the bucket rod, and the bucket, but will not overbalance the weight of these members when the bucket is filled with liquid. Thus, under normal conditions, the valve member will rest upon its seat 19 where it will remain until the weight of the liquid within the bucket is sufiicient to raise it therefrom.

' In operation, the well is filled with water from a supply pipe 51. As the valve 47 is resting upon the seat 49, the level of the water will gradually rise until it has reached either the top of the drain pipe 20 or the upper opened end of the standard 17. In the present instance, the level will be determined by the drain pipe 20. lVhen the water has reached this point, it will over-flow into this pipe and down through the standard into the bucket 24:. This bucket will gradually fill and when the weight of the water therein has become sulficient to overcome the weight of the valve member and its connections, the valve will be raised andthe bucket will be lowered. Due to the fact that the bucket has a cover plate 81, the contents will drain out slowly through the slotted opening 30, thus maintaining the valve member in its elevated position a considerable time, in fact until the well has been thoroughly drained. The action of the weight of the water passing through the valve opening 59 and striking the cover plate 31 will also hold the bucket down and will counteract the suction action which might tend to draw the valve member down upon its seat.

Due to the construction here shown, and particularly to the design of the pan, this device will operate when the pan is entirely submerged in water, such a result not having been obtained by most machines of this character. 7 i It will thus be seen that by the use of the device here disclosed the well will be positively filled and emptied with any desired volume of water in an automatic manner.

lVhile I have shown the preferred construction of my automatic sewer flusher as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

I claim: I r v 1. In a sewer flushing apparatus, a well, a sewer connected with the bottom of the well, a valve member in the passage between the bottom of the well and the sewer, a tubular vertical standard. a walking beam pivoted to the upper end of the standard, a rod connecting the outer end of the walking beam to the valve, an actuating bucket pivotally mounted below the standard, a rod connecting the bucket to the inner end of the walking beam; said valve overbalancing the bucket to hold it elevated; and a cover upon the bucket and having a limited outlet passage; so that when the well fills to overflowing the water will run down the standard into the bucket and overbalance and open the valve and hold the valve open until the Water has drained from the bucket through the restricted opening.

2. A sewer flushing device comprising a well in communication with a sewer pipe at its lower end, a valve member normally preventing communication between the well and pipe, a tubular vertical standard from which said valve member is supported, an I actuating bucket mounted beneath said standard and in communication with the opening therethrough, rigid connecting means between said bucket and the valve member whereby water flowing through ing; so that when the bucket is filled to overbalance and open the valve, the valve will remain open until the water flows through the restricted opening from the bucket.

3. A sewer flushing device comprising a well in communication with a sewer pipe at its lower end, a valve member normally preventin communication between the well and c I pipe, a tubular vertical standard from wh1ch said. valve member is supported, an

actuating bucket mounted beneath said standard and in communication with the opening therethrough, rigid connecting means between said bucket and the valve member whereby water flowing through said tubular standard to the bucket will cause the valve member to be lifted to allow the well to empty, and means incorporated within said bucket whereby it will be held in its lowermost position for a predetermined period of time and the valve member likewise elevated.

l. In a sewer flushing apparatus, an actuating bucket having a straight end wall, substantially parallel side walls, a floor disposed at right angles to the end wall at one end and bent upwardly from a point mid-way its length to the opposite end, a cover plate secured to the upper edges of the side walls and substantially covering the inclined bottom, and a drain opening in the inclined bottom adjacent its juncture with the cover plate.

5. A sewer flushing apparatus comprising a well into which a constant volume of water is delivered and the lower end of which is in communication with a sewer pipe, a base plate positioned at the bottom of the well between the well and sewer pipe, hollow supporting standard vertically extending from the base, a walking beam pivotally mounted at the top of the standard, means for vertically adjusting the walking beam in relation to the standard, a valve rod pivotally supported at one end of the walking beam, a bucket rod pivotally supported at the opposite end of said walking beam and extending downwardly through the standard, a gravity seated valve member secured to the valve rod, a valve seat formed through the base plate and upon which the valve member is adapted to normally rest, a bucket pivotally mounted beneath the base plate and connected to the bucket rod, means whereby the bucket may be filled from the water supply within the well when it reaches a certain level, and the valve member there- Coplea at this patent may he obtained (or five cents each, by addressing the by raised to cause the well to be emptied, and means .for retarding the flow of water from said bucket.

6. A sewer flushing apparatus comprising a well into which a constant volume of water is being delivered and the lower end of which is in communication with a sewer pipe, a base plate positioned at the bottom of the well between the well and sewer pipe, a hollow supporting standard vertically extending from the base, a walking beam pivotally mounted at the top of the standard, means for vertically adjusting the walking beam in relation to the standard, a valve rod pivotally supported at one end of the walking beam, a bucket rod pivotally supported at the opposite end of said walking beam and extending downwardly through the standard, a gravity seated valve member secured to the valve rod, a valve seat formed through the base plate and upon which the valve member is adapted to normally rest, a bucket pivotally mounted beneath the base plate and connected to the bucket rod, means whereby the bucket may be filled from the water supply within the well when it reaches a certain level, and the valve member thereby raised to cause the well to be emptied, and means for insuring that the bucket will maintain the valve in an elevated position for a predetermined period of time irrespective of the volume of water with which the well has been filled.

7. A sewer flushing device comprising a well in communication with a sewer pipe at its lower end, a valve member normally preventing said communication, a vertical standard from which said valve member is supported, a tubular conduit leading downwardly from the well, a vertically pivoted actuating bucket disposed beneath the floor of the well and in communication with said conduit whereby an overflow of liquid from the well will pass through the conduit and fill the bucket, connecting means between the valve and the bucket whereby the bucket will swing downwardly when filled with liquid and raise the valve, and a co vcr upon the bucket and having a restricted outlet opening; so that when the bucket is filled to overbalance and open the valve, the. valve will remain open until the water flows through the restricted opening from the bucket.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

G. H. BURNS.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

